GUARDIAN OF WATER

GUARDIAN OF WATER

Finding things that belong to you have been touched and looked at by strangers is unpleasant. So when I entered the Coin Office after having sent Rifaat to deliver the letter to the Keeper and I noticed that someone had rummaged through my drawers, the first reaction was anger. Calmer, I tried to think. It was certainly a visitor who would have liked to remain secret. In fact, the books on the floor were intact. But on the desk, where the visitor's attention had stopped, many papers were not in the position in which I had left them. I thought he might be a very inexperienced thief, or someone who had wanted to leave me a warning. Bialik perhaps? What if I got back in time to catch the visitor in the act? I spent half a minute imagining the scene. I thought back to the last few hours. I woke up very early as always. I had dressed, I had gone down to the courtyard. I had delivered the letter to Rifaat. Perhaps Rifaat, on leaving to go to San Salvatore, to the Custos, had left the door of the convent ajar. But Rifaat was very conscientious. Such an oversight seemed impossible to me.